Welcome to the Yolohiker blog. This blog will cover all aspects of outdoor recreation in the Putah-Cache watersheds, with a focus on trip reports from Capay Valley Hiking Club outings, discussions of trails, gear, and occasionally the increasingly interesting politics of trails and open space in Yolo, Napa, and Lake Counties (and surrounding areas.)

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Trip report - Camping on Blue Ridge 12-12-08The nice thing about camping in the inner Coast Range in the winter is that, well...you can actually camp in the winter. I love it. Sure, it's a little cold, but with a mylar tube tent (lightweight), mylar blanket, and sleeping bag, you can easily stay warm in 30 to 40 degree farenheight weather.We were scouting an easement route for a new trail which will allow hiking up to Berryessa Peak. While it will take a couple years to get the trail completed and open, we need to start now by identifying the route before beginning the process to build it. So, this was the first trip.The trip was pretty easy at the beginning, but the final hundred feet to the ridge was pretty steep with lots of chemise to bust through. The area had burned in the 2003 Rumsey fire so at least the brush was short. Once at the top, we continued south until we reached a nice clearing to set up camp. At that point we began scouting the easement route.After finishing, we got dinner going, started a nice campfire, and enjoyed the sunset over Lake Berryessa. This is why we work so hard to protect the region.